Controls on the hydraulic geometry of alluvial channels: bank stability to gravitational failure, the critical-flow hypothesis, and conservation of mass and energy

Pelletier, Jon D.

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-379-2021

Articles | Volume 9, issue 2

https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-379-2021

© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-379-2021

© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 9, issue 2

Research article

|

26 Apr 2021

Research article |

| 26 Apr 2021

Controls on the hydraulic geometry of alluvial channels: bank stability to gravitational failure, the critical-flow hypothesis, and conservation of mass and energy

Jon D. Pelletier

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Final revised paper (published on 26 Apr 2021)
Supplement to the final revised paper
Preprint (discussion started on 22 Jun 2020)
Supplement to the preprint

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

AC: Author comment | RC: Referee comment | SC: Short comment | EC: Editor comment

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- Supplement

RC1: 'Review of Pelletier Controls on the hydraulic geometry of alluvial channels: bank stability to gravitational failure, the critical-flow hypothesis, and conservation of mass and energy', Gordon Grant, 22 Jul 2020
RC2: 'Review of: "Controls on the hydraulic geometry of alluvial channels: bank stability to gravitational failure, the critical-flow hypothesis, and conservation of mass and energy" by Jon D. Pelletier', Roberto Fernandez, 16 Aug 2020
RC3: 'Review of "Controls on the hydraulic geometry of alluvial channels: bank stability to gravitational failure, the critical-flow hypothesis, and conservation of mass and engery" by Pelletier', Christopher Hackney, 24 Aug 2020
AC1: 'Responses to Reviewer Comments', Jon Pelletier , 28 Oct 2020

Peer-review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision

AR by Jon Pelletier on behalf of the Authors (11 Dec 2020) Author's response Manuscript

ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (21 Jan 2021) by Rebecca Hodge

RR by Roberto Fernández (he/él) (30 Jan 2021)

RR by Gordon Grant (03 Feb 2021)

ED: Publish subject to technical corrections (23 Feb 2021) by Rebecca Hodge

ED: Publish subject to technical corrections (24 Feb 2021) by Tom Coulthard (Editor)

AR by Jon Pelletier on behalf of the Authors (02 Mar 2021) Author's response Manuscript

Short summary

The sizes and shapes of alluvial channels vary in a systematic way with the water flow they convey during large floods. It is demonstrated that the depth of alluvial channels is controlled by the resistance of channel bank material to slumping, which in turn is controlled by clay content. Deeper channels have faster water flow in a manner controlled by the critical hydraulic state to which channels tend to evolve. Channel width and slope can be further quantified using conservation principles.